She was celebrating her 18th birthday with friends in Lancaster city centre when she had the drink at a wine bar on Thursday night.

Police said she had her stomach removed afterwards in an urgent operation thought to have saved her life.

Miss Scanlon had reported feeling breathless and then developed severe stomach pain after drinking the cocktail.

She was taken to hospital and diagnosed with a perforated stomach and underwent emergency surgery to remove it, police said.

The teenager was said to be in a serious but stable condition afterwards, and was apparently well enough last night to write on Twitter: "Maybe stay off the liquid nitrogen' is not a f–––––– funny thing to say to me." She also tweeted: "I nearly died."

A police spokesman said: "The investigation is still in its early stages and we are still interviewing witnesses to establish the full facts.

The premises involved have fully cooperated with all agencies and have suspended the serving of drinks involving liquid nitrogen."

The force said it was the first incident of its kind it had dealt with.

The management of the wine bar it was were "tremendously concerned" for the teenager and passed its best wishes to her and her family.

Liquid nitrogen has become popular for the making of some elaborate cocktails, with Heston Blumenthal among the most high–profile chefs to use it for culinary purposes.

The liquid form of the gas can be used to flash–freeze substances, and some bars use it to chill glasses or freeze ingredients, producing a dramatic–looking grey vapour.

Numerous recipes for liquid nitrogen cocktails can be found on the internet but the substance can cause serious cold burns and should never be ingested.